Authentication of Basmati rice using SSR-PCR and QIAxcel® Advanced

Basmati is one of the most popular types of rice in the world, representing approximately 40% of the dry rice market. Being twice as expensive as non-Basmati rice, it is also often mixed with other types of rice. Approximately 46% of sold Basmati rice is adulterated. The term Basmati is a customer generic name for 15 varieties of rice produced exclusively in India and Pakistan. Nine of the 15 varieties are eligible for zero import duty in the European Union (Regulation (EC) 1549/2004). The 6 other varieties are approved only in India and Pakistan. These two countries also define which varieties can bear the name “Basmati” (Table 1). Import of Basmati rice into the European Union must comply with several regulations (EC No 1234/2007, 1785/2003 and 972/2006) and requires an import certificate (1). The rice must be analyzed before and sometimes after import. Therefore, analyses that enable identification and quantification of Basmati rice are of great importance. The price of the rice depends on the variety as well as on several physical properties, including the proportion of green grains and broken grains. Various physical methods have been developed for identification based on examining grain dimension, amylose content, grain elongation through